Government launches grain swap programme

GOVERNMENT has launched the grain swap programme where farmers can exchange traditional grain for maize and vice versa at Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots.

On X (Twitter), GMB said the swap ratio is 1:1 at a maximum of five bags of 50kgs exchanged per month.

GMB chief executive officer Dr Edson Badarai said the main purpose of the grain swap is to promote appropriate grain production in the ecological regions.

“Regions 4 and 5 are expected to produce traditional grains and one two, and three are producing maize. So, the pricing of the traditional grain and maize is US$335, which means we have equated that. Now if you want to swap or exchange it’s 1:1 and we have said five bags maximum per month,” he said.

“We encourage farmers to bring clean traditional grain which is not infested that has a moisture content minimum of 12,5 that’s the requirements.”

Meanwhile, Dr Badarai said they have already distributed 1 700 tons of inputs, a combination of lime and seeds.

“We are moving ahead and we expect that by the end of October or early November, we should have completed that process so that farmers get to the ground and do the work,” he said.

In terms of paying the farmers, he said $46 billion and US$10,1 million have been paid to support the farmers going back to the fields for the upcoming season.–chronicle